Masters of the Universe: Revelation

:

Season 1
  • Network: Netflix
  • Series Premiere Date: Jul 23, 2021
Season #: 2, 1
User Score
2.1

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 612 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 88 out of 612
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 612
  3. Negative: 498 out of 612

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User Reviews

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  1. solrhn
    Jul 25, 2021
    4
    The voice casting was poor, the story was clunky and predictable, the audio mix was not quite right, the character redesigns and outright retconning was not welcome. This was a wasted opportunity with a really badly handled PR campaign.
  2. CkVega
    Jul 24, 2021
    4
    Really tried to give this a chance, but the characters are fundamentally unlikeable and have bizarre motives and reactions. Art style is good, but this has clearly been written by someone who has no love or respect of the source material. I guess "subverting expectations" is the name of the game these days, to the point that it's so predictable, everyone knew what was going to happenReally tried to give this a chance, but the characters are fundamentally unlikeable and have bizarre motives and reactions. Art style is good, but this has clearly been written by someone who has no love or respect of the source material. I guess "subverting expectations" is the name of the game these days, to the point that it's so predictable, everyone knew what was going to happen before it launched. Honestly these days treating an old IP with respect would subvert my expectations.… Expand
  3. BurgerSeeker
    Jul 23, 2021
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. It was mostly enjoyable, until the 16:30 mark where the very event that drives the plot forward could have been so very easily avoided if He-Man, one of the most competent characters in fiction, had just not stood still like a moron while Skeletor very slowly and obviously did something blatantly evil. This is a textbook example of an Idiot Plot — that is, a plot that can only develop when the characters act like idiots. Unfortunately, this happens in the first episode and is the part that sets up all subsequent events. I could give it a pass if this were the original or even the 200X reboot, but since Revelation wants to be a mature take on MOTU, it gets no excuse for bad writing. The rest of the show could be good for all I know, but as someone who's only seen the first episode, the triggering event is too stupid to make me want to watch the rest; it's hard to get invested in the story or even take it as seriously as it wants to be taken when the very premise is contrived to the point of idiocy.… Expand
  4. DastardlyBadGuy
    Jul 25, 2021
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Sorry. Unless you're just one of the few, proud, diehard Teela fans, this series will disappoint the hell out of you. I'll throw in the good, first. I rated the series a 4 solely based on the animation being gorgeous and the good voice acting. Although, surprisingly, I wasn't a fan of Hamill's Skeletor. Beyond that, the story is nothing but trashy pandering and virtue signalling. It seems that there is a "by the numbers" checklist any and all big and small screen entertainment has to follow before it is allowed to be released. This show is a prime example of that practice. Couple that with the fact that it was advertised as something it was not in order to lure people in for views, only to be pelted with the garbage contained within. Kevin Smith absolutely lied about the premise of the show and it's contents. He responded to the backlash by trash talking fans who simply just wanted an entertaining show. As a huge Smith fan, I was extremely disappointed that he was on board for this abortion. As well as his reaction that followed. You don't win fans over by killing the main character and turning a beloved secondary character into an unlikeable, selfish c**t. But, don't take my word for it. And, especially don't take the word of all these so called "professional" critics who bend to the will of money every chance they get. Watch it for yourself. If you go in with lowered expectations, you may enjoy it.… Expand
  5. InActionMan64
    Jul 26, 2021
    4
    Devoid of both He-Man and Masters. This is clearly a 10-13 episode season 1 crushingly condensed down, subsequently losing all pace and story. The changes to Teela (and to some degree Evil-Lynn) were just too much, and without any context. Despite all the good, the inconsistent story telling and non-existent character development dragged this season (which is what it was) down.
  6. DarthGeddon
    Jul 24, 2021
    4
    Advertising is a bit misleading unless something dramatic changes in the next 5 episodes.

    If youre looking for he-man youre going to be disappointed. Theres very little to no character development at any point and the story is just kinda ok all the way through. Few shock scenes to try and make you feel something but they all fall flat.

    Disappointing. I had high hopes.
  7. Kai82
    Jul 25, 2021
    5
    Sadly the rumors were true. It is not a truly bad show but the lies and misleading of fans will decrease the ratings a lot. Lets start with the elephant in the room: He-Man is very sparingly used in this show to say it mildly and Teela is the main character. This is normally not a problem especially if the show is good or it fits the narrative (and I would no mind if both are truly good).Sadly the rumors were true. It is not a truly bad show but the lies and misleading of fans will decrease the ratings a lot. Lets start with the elephant in the room: He-Man is very sparingly used in this show to say it mildly and Teela is the main character. This is normally not a problem especially if the show is good or it fits the narrative (and I would no mind if both are truly good). However there are some valid arguments against this in this case. Firstly they promised a He-Man show and nothing else and especially Kevin Smith made a lot of now proven lies about this on social media. Secondly everyone who grew up with the show knew that He-Man was the boys show and She-Ra the girls show. This means not that you cant have strong females or males in the other show as for example the Sorceress is the most powerful character in He-man and probably atop on the wisest characters list too. So they harmed the expectation twice. While I use a phrase with the word “expectations” you hear a lot that the show is a repeat of “The Last Jedi” in poorly subvert expectation and angering a lot of the fan base. Sadly a fair and valid point. Lastly they show that they have no confidence in their own show, ideas and decisions as they could have told this passionately to the (potential) viewers. To be fair for the last point it could also backfire but you would not be labeled as liars that mislabeled a product. I might sound too negative as the show is not that bad. The visuals and characters look really good and I praise them for this. The art style is top notch too and fully appealing. Just look at the official poster or trailer. It has a high value and I will praise the show for it too. Then there are the voice actors: I would never complain with such an awesome cast with for example Mark Hamill, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Lena Headey, Susan Eisenberg and Chris Wood. For me this is an all star team and a true strength. Now to the next elephant in the room with the story. I think it is not that bad and everyone should remember that the old show was never about telling deep Shakespearean stories. It was good and enjoyable but not in a top tier story level. I think the ideas and twists work but cant turn the tide. To clarify: I see a lot of good ideas and moments but these cant keep up against the negatives. Overall this will be in the list of re-imagination of established characters or shows that fail to win the old fans or core audience. I will conclude with: Dear producers and directors. If you want to tell your own stories than do it. If you want to redo / revive a show then please look into what made it good back thenfor the viewers and use this well. Take an example were that worked well like “Mad Max Fury Road” or “The Mandalorian” and how to subvert expectations in an awesome way in “Avengers Infinity War” and “Avengers Endgame”.… Expand
  8. lottalava
    Jul 24, 2021
    5
    The animation is very well done, but this first part is a He-Man show without He-Man!
    Another complain is the ridiculous transformation scene, really looks like Sailor Moon! Couldn´t be more gaysh to me!
  9. DrummerKolle
    Jul 24, 2021
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Warning, spoilers ahead!

    First I have to say, it's not as bad as I thought it would be...

    Yes, this is more Teela than He-Man, but the general idea was not that bad.
    And you can say what you want, Teela is clearly in love with the other character I already forget the name of...
    So yes, agenda -> Check!

    However, the whole 5 episodes felt like one oversized episode and there is still a lot to complain about.
    While Teelas reaction in the first episode is somewhat relatable, the outcome is a mirror of modern society. Instead of talking it out and asking for the reasons, it more like "I quit!", which in my eyes is a huge overreaction. But I guess even cartoon characters are offended about everything nowadays...

    Besides that a lot of character development is not going as planned, at least not for me...
    The death of Orco and the robot dude are really meaningless and I couldn't care less. While they tried to make Orco more "care-able", it was so forced and nothing really new was told. For the robot dude I really had no connection at all...

    The whole 5 episodes felt kind of confusing and it looked like there was no clear vision, what this wants to be.

    Positiv was, that the animation is good and there is a nice little twist at the end, but that's about it...

    All in all, this is a mediocre "reboot", at least until now. Let's see how the rest will turn out...    … Expand
  10. deltagilbert
    Jul 27, 2021
    5
    It's a fun, short and easily watchable 5 episode series. It was great to see old characters back on screen again after all these years and focuses on the supporting cast rather than He-Man.

    Was it Teela heavy like the leaks claimed ? Yes. Evil Lynn was a way more interesting character in this series though. Story wise, there's a few dumb character choices at times and it was probably    It's a fun, short and easily watchable 5 episode series. It was great to see old characters back on screen again after all these years and focuses on the supporting cast rather than He-Man.

    Was it Teela heavy like the leaks claimed ? Yes. Evil Lynn was a way more interesting character in this series though.

    Story wise, there's a few dumb character choices at times and it was probably a massive mistake sidelining He-Man and Skeletor. It will need a second season to actually become a He-Man show but based on the reactions of most people right now, I doubt we'll ever see it.    … Expand
  11. hello_world
    Jul 25, 2021
    6
    Full disclosure, I have watched the original He-man series, so this is a review of someone who knows very little of the franchise other than the bare basics. That being said, you don't need to know all the much about He-man to understand the plot. The show is simple enough that most people will know what's going on without any prior knowledge (one of the characters is named "Evil-Lynn ofFull disclosure, I have watched the original He-man series, so this is a review of someone who knows very little of the franchise other than the bare basics. That being said, you don't need to know all the much about He-man to understand the plot. The show is simple enough that most people will know what's going on without any prior knowledge (one of the characters is named "Evil-Lynn of god-sakes. It doesn't take a genius to figure out the relationship she had with the heroes prior to this series).

    As for the execution of the story itself, it's pretty enjoyable. The story starts off with an event, that I would imagine, changes the status quo for the series. This is an interesting idea and it made me wish that I had a deeper relationship with the original as it would likely would have a larger impact on me. But nonetheless, we get the idea that things will change for the characters and the dynamics of the show will be radically different from the original. The events that unfold thereafter, while not revolutionary, does what it needs to in introducing newcomers like myself to the many different characters and sets up the second part with a great cliff hanger ending that promises that once again, the status quo has changed.

    Speaking of characters, this show has quite a few of them and many of them were surprisingly compelling. The show put a focus on presumably side characters from the original and gave them a heart that made me care about them in the brief time that I knew them. The biggest let down was perhaps the main character of the first part who's personality seem to be that they are angry and bitter about what happen to them, but not much else. Perhaps I would have liked them better if I had watch the original, but as it stands, I found the side characters to be much more enjoyable.    … Expand
  12. AllNewSuperfake
    Aug 9, 2021
    6
    Everything surrounding this series is so much more interesting than the actual experience, starting with the descent of my generation into boomer-ing. Middle aged man getting worked up about a continuation of a cartoon they watched when they were 6 to the point where nothing less but civilization and everything good and holy is at stake and being destroyed by evil forces is a lot more epicEverything surrounding this series is so much more interesting than the actual experience, starting with the descent of my generation into boomer-ing. Middle aged man getting worked up about a continuation of a cartoon they watched when they were 6 to the point where nothing less but civilization and everything good and holy is at stake and being destroyed by evil forces is a lot more epic than what Kevin Smith presents here, even though he stole his ideas from the best franchises out there.

    And for a good reason - the original lore and the formula of what used to be little more than a toy commercial is f*ing retarded. With a cast and talent like this at hand I'd rather get fired than waste those resources on recreating that trash. The main character were as one-note as they can be, and there was exactly one and only one storyline repeated endlessly. And yes, you loved that when you were six because your brain was also six and you needed rituals and endless repetition and clear black and white because everything was terribly confusing already, but dear lord, now you are 46 and you should have learned to cope with it.

    Especially since all the new elements aren't exactly groundbreaking and unheard of. Some borgs here, a Wonderwoman there, there's Ironman and evil Aquaman, there's that evil queen from Game of Thrones with yet another redemption arc who even sounds like that evil queen, there's some obvious inspiration from Akira in the animation and the whole worldbuilding lore has been copypasted from Stephen King's "Dark Tower", and suprise, the result is quiet decent. Borderline entertaining. Even though it mixes so many elements it almost finds it's own ground and isn't entirely predictable. I had wished for something like that when I was 6, the voice actors are amazing. It does kill time, but it doesn't waste it completely. Unlike the original where the same guy won against that other guy episode after episode you are even a little curious what will happen next, beyond "will He-Man's hair ever move" or "how does a skull have facial expressions".

    I wouldn't have even noticed this thing without the outcry, paying the creators in the internet's most precious currency - attention. So congratulations to the creators, this is my TV surprise of 2021, because I'd never thought I'd watch this. And it has nothing to do with the actual experience, which is... pretty ok. I'm just too old for that stuff by now.    … Expand
  13. Izackrimm
    Jul 24, 2021
    6
    es algo entrenenida, pero es como ver un rapidos y furiosos te entretiene pero la historia es basura e incongruente y ridicula

Awards & Rankings

2
#2 Most Discussed TV Season of 2021

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
72

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. Collider
    Reviewed by: Rafael Motamayor
    Jul 26, 2021
    83
    It may take a little while to fully get into what Masters of the Universe: Revelation is doing if you are not already familiar with the franchise. But whether you're a longtime fan or just hungry for a unique blend of sci-fi and fantasy, this show offers an exhilarating adventure that justifies the era of the legacyquel, while proving itself a necessary and essential part of the Masters of the Universe mythos.
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  2. Decider
    Reviewed by: Joel Keller
    Jul 23, 2021
    80
    Smith eschews his normally wordy dialogue style, but keeps the characters smart and real, which helps us want to follow all of them as they go on their journey. He also hews closely to the convoluted world that is Eternia, where there’s layer upon layer of intrigue and mysticism that needs to be restored or captured. The animation is an upgraded version of the ’80s Filmation style the original show had, but with just enough retro touches to keep the show connected to its predecessor.
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  3. CNN
    Reviewed by: Brian Lowry
    Jul 22, 2021
    50
    For those expecting something truly boundary-pushing, rest assured, no one will confuse this with "Clerks."
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